Students at UCF, other Florida schools more fired up than in earlier elections

CAMPAIGN 2008

January 21, 2008|By Erika Hobbs, Sentinel Staff Writer

Walk across the University of Central Florida's tidy grounds and you won't easily find a "Ron Paul Revolution" or "Hot for Hillary" T-shirt.

Signs around campus hawk Smoothie King and job fairs, not John Edwards or Rudy Giuliani.

But though student political activism at Florida's college campuses hasn't reached a crescendo, there is a distinct buzz in the air for the Jan. 29 primary.

"We have opinions, and we voice them, and we're not always heard," said Zach Moller, 20, president of the University of Florida College Democrats.

"This year, we are going to be heard."

To be sure, activism has gained a foothold.

UCF junior Greg Goddard is the state coordinator for Students for Barack Obama, a branch of the Illinois senator's campaign for the Democratic nomination.

Goddard has set up 15 campus chapters in the state -- by far the most organized student-run candidate campaign -- including one so strong it has drawn 800 members at the University of Florida alone.

"We [set up a] table most days, and we have position papers and pamphlets," said Kristen Misiak, student coordinator for Obama's University of Florida chapter. The group holds weekly meetings, maintains a Facebook group and runs phone banks nearly every weekend.

Obama took young voters seriously, said Goddard, 20 -- he "didn't write us off."

'Future of my generation'

Neither did Ron Paul, said Nik Ritchie, president of the Knights for Liberty at UCF club, whose group has been chalking sidewalk messages that urge classmates to vote for the Texas congressman, who is seeking the Republican nomination.

And UCF sophomore Harold Hedrick gave up one precious weekend earlier this month to stump for Republican candidate Fred Thompson in South Carolina.

"We're not taking it for granted," Hedrick, 19, said. "This election is going to be about the future of my generation."

Traditionally, Florida's youth vote has been stagnant. Aubrey Jewett, a UCF associate professor of political science, said exit polls in 2004 showed that voters ages 18 to 29 accounted for 17 percent of the total vote.

That was a high-water mark for Florida, even though the state's turnout of young voters ranked 29th when compared with other states.

By 2006, interest among young voters had plunged.

But this year, Jewett and other pundits say, the youth vote could rebound to 2004 levels or better.

"That would be huge," Jewett said.

Jewett said the excitement level at UCF is especially noticeable in the Democratic camp.

Though campuses tend to lean left politically, Democrat fever is particularly high because students belonging to the party sense victory, he said.

"I think it mirrors the trend we're seeing the larger Democratic voter base, who seem very motivated now," he added.

Youth vote is key

The youth vote already has played a key role in American politics this year.

Young-voter turnout for the Iowa caucuses this month tripled from 2004, according to the University of Maryland's Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, which studies civic and politic involvement among young people. Obama, who has drawn huge crowds to college-campus rallies during his campaign, was propelled to a surprising win in Iowa with 57 percent of the vote among those younger than 25.

New Hampshire's primaries also saw increased participation by young voters, though the University of Maryland's voting-research center notes that most of the voters who are 18 to 25 don't attend college.

Growing buzz on campus

Young students typically aren't primary voters because they often register as independents, so campus activism often doesn't peak until the general election, said Susan MacManus, a political-science professor at the University of South Florida.

"You'll see their political muscle then," she predicted.

But this season feels different, she said.

"There is a tremendous interest on campus -- much more than I have seen in past election cycles."

Jewett attributed the growing buzz in both political camps to the parties making significant strides in reaching out to young voters through text-messaging, Internet groups and other digital strategies.

"College students are very critical to our campaign," said Jeff Frazee, National Youth Coordinator for Ron Paul's campaign. "We're the ones bringing young students into the process, and we're the ones expanding the [Republican] party."

'Untapped resources'

To some college students, the point of reaching out to campuses is simpler than keeping the party alive.

"We're one of the most untapped resources: We don't have a lot of money, but we do have a lot of manpower," said Brandon Neeld, 22, chairman of the Florida State University College Republicans.

Jewett says the lessons of 2000 -- when Florida proved pivotal in deciding the presidency -- could push people to the polls.

But the biggest influence, he said, has been the galvanizing personalities of Obama and Paul.

They're both fresh faces: Obama with his Kennedyesque persona, and Paul with his keep-your-rules-to-yourself attitude, which resonates with young people.

"You know the pundits call us apathetic, but that is going to change," said John Martino, 20, president of the UCF College Democrats.

He might be right. Ask a UCF student walking across campus whether he or she will vote, and you're more likely to get a yes than a no.

But they just might not know exactly why -- such as 18-year-old UCF freshman Dionne Ritchie, who said she plans to vote for Obama.